Pain in the Neck

For approximately the last five years, I've had substantial neck pain. I've changed chairs, mattresses, had an MRI, physical therapy, and been on prescription muscles relaxants. 

However, the cause of the neck pain was never fully clear. Recently, when the pain was quite intense, we resolved that I should go to a chiropractor that used x-Rays. It was immediately clear from the standing profile x-ray (as apposed to a horizontal MRI of just a few vertebrae), that my neck was too straight. There should be a curve to your neck, and mine was not behaving appropriately. I later googled this, and there is a term called 'Military Neck' which seems to describe it. So I've embarked on working on my neck posture, and though sore, it seems to be helping so far. I purchased a blue neck alignment pillow, which makes me happy, though will have to see about its efficacy.

In the mean time, you can see my Halloween costume photo this year (or x-ray rather). 

ePebo Vacuum Brewer

 20 years ago, I purchased a Starbucks Barista Utopia vacuum brewer (when they were on closeout from Starbucks). It was a great coffee maker, I nicknamed the coffee volcano, but was used pretty heartily for making several pots of coffee a day for me and my roommates, and eventually wore out. 

Bodum (who manufactured the Utopia back in the day), have another electric vacuum brewer, the ePebo. It was (probably) on closeout, so I purchased us a new coffee maker at 50% off. Also, our trusty drip maker finally gave out.

Starbuck's Utopia from long ago